


Pancakes

by storm_of_shadows



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Hunk is a swell guy, Lotor is not a sadistic evil villain, could be read as shippy if you want i guess idk, he is a morally grey boi i love very much, idk they just talk a bit i guess, its soft, lotor is distrustful, pancakes are involved, pre episode 1 i suppose, set during season 5 ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-03 22:59:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14006712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storm_of_shadows/pseuds/storm_of_shadows
Summary: Hunk offers Lotor victory pancakes as he sits in his cell.





	Pancakes

**Author's Note:**

> I just wrote this at midnight over like an hour and a half, havent read through it. Mainly just wanted to write some Lotor and ive read some nice metas on tumblr about Hunk being the observant person of the group. Treat it as shippy if you like, i dont mind.

He stood alone in his cell.

It was not the most uncomfortable prison - no restraints on his hands, no confined cockpit and the burn of a sun on his skin and eyes.

Just him, and his glass window to the darkness around him.  And also… the paladin.

He stood back at the lift, fidgeting with something in his hands, body language clouded with indecision.

Lotor considered calling out, more repetitive reassurances he had tried again and again on the others to no avail.  He understood trust, especially to trust a Galra, no, a son of Zarkon himself was no easy feat. He could wait, he would not push, for now.

Instead he stood at the glass, arms crossed, observing the paladin in action.  After some time, he seemed to come to a decision and walked with determination down the long walkway.

The yellow paladin had spoken to him directly only a few times, and always while the princess and black paladin had been there.  And while he had expressed his own fair share of doubts, after they had returned successful from their first few missions he seemed to be less hostile than his fellows.

“Yellow Paladin, you have come to speak to me?  Does the Coalition require more information? Another lead?”  Stance regal, proud as ever, Lotor held his head high.

Hunk stood on the other side of the glass, watching the prince as stood in his prison.  He could remember the day he arrived, the stiffness of his posturing, the way he’d wince at minute movements and could barely hold back a hiss of pain.  These past two weeks had been kinder to the prince, who had seemed all too happy to sit in his cell, no freedom, no trust in spite of his actions that had so thoroughly saved their asses.

Yes, the memory of relief upon Lotors face as he entered that cell, the brief moment of vulnerability had haunted Hunk for two weeks.  And finally he would follow his instincts.

“No.  I’m not here for the Coalition… or for Voltron.  Or Allura or Shiro. I’m, uh,” he took a steadying breath, holding the covered plate in his hand all the tighter, “I’m here ‘cause I wanna be.”

“Well that is… certainly intriguing, Paladin.  What do you want of me,” Lotor could not help the narrowing of his eyes.  Was the man before him going behind his fellows backs? What did he expect to gain from him?  Perhaps he wished to inflict some punishment away from his superiors eyes. It would not have been Lotors first beating while at the mercy of others.  ‘Victory or Death’ had left its scars.

“No I- man no!  I just wanted to- uh, let's start again, maybe. I’m Hunk, paladin of the Yellow Lion, chef extraordinaire and engineering expert.”  Lotor stared at the outstretched hand Hunk had proffered with some measure of confusion and, perhaps, if Hunk was seeing correctly, humour.  “Oh, right, giant glass cage. Kinda forgot - we don't need a handshake, then, I guess.”

A chuckle.

“Very well, Yellow Paladin.  I am Prince Lotor of the Galra Empire, son of Zarkon and prisoner of Voltron,” when the paladin winced Lotor allowed himself a small smile, “I had been hoping to end that with ally, but I understand that such allegiances take time.  Now that we have had our formal introduction, might I inquire as to why you wished to converse?”

“Oh! Yeah..”  He fidgeted again with the plate in his hands.  “Well, I know we’ve been… very distrustful of you.  And I mean, for good reason, you had attacked us before and you’re Zarkon’s son… though I guess that isn’t fair, we shouldn’t condemn you just because of your dad, even if he is the most evil guy in the univer- I’m getting off topic, wow, this was meant to be… Can I start over again?  Nope? Nope, it’s definitely too late.” With a deep sigh, Hunk removed the covering from the plate he’d brought with him.

Lotor leaned in as far as the glass would let him, eyeing the plate with an odd expression.  “What is this, Paladin?”

“Hunk.  It’s Hunk.  But, uh. They’re pancakes.  I don't know if you have space pancakes but… they’re like bread.. But tasty and sweet?  Crap, how d’you even describe pancakes? I brought some syrup too, just uh, don't tell Pidge I took some of her favourite, she won’t appreciate sharing it with… you.”

Lotor just stared on at the plate, eyebrows creased in thought.  “I mean, I know we’ve been feeding you the food goo, which, gotta be honest, we have to eat that stuff too, it's not like our prisoner food.  But every once in a while I get some ingredients and whip up something nice to give us paladins a taste of home again. Usually a kind of… celebratory meal, i guess?  And since it's because of you that we’ve had so many victories… only thought it was fair for you to have a victory meal too.” Hunk tried to finish on a reassuring smile, but when he looked up, the Galra’s eyes were narrowed, brow drawn angry and tight.

“Do you seek to poison me, Paladin?  Are you so foolish to think you could sway me with soft words?  This would not be the first tainted meal served to me, nor will it be the last.”

“I… the hell dude? No! I would never put any kinda poison anywhere near my food.  That's like… sacrilegious? Look, I’ll show you,” Hunk pulled a fork from his pack and took a good bite of the pancake, “See?  Not poison? Hell, man, the fact that that's your first thought is kinda fucked up. You’ve been poisoned before? Quiznack. Feel like I shoulda guessed with the Galra though- wait, not to uh… offend your culture I guess?”

The prince seemed to process this information before letting out a little chuckle, “No harm done, Paladin.  The culture of the Galra as it is, is most certainly unsavory. ‘Victory or Death’ is a cruel mistress. Should I have my way she would be worn away with the test of time and a new generation, a new world.  Still, I must… apologize, for my assumptions. Your offer of this ‘victory meal’ is much appreciated. Though you must understand, you came to see me by yourself, and your demeanor was… suspicious indeed.”

Hunk laughed awkwardly, scratching distractedly at his neck, “Yeahh, I was kinda nervous.  Mainly about what the others would think. They’re still not… too keen on you. But they’ll come around, probably.  Maybe. If nothing horrible or suspicious happens.”

Lotors lips curled up into a fuller, genuine smile, “I’m not quite sure that fate would be so merciful to work in my favour, but thank for your… confidence?”

“Sure, man, no problem.”  Hunk found himself distracted by how Lotors face, free however briefly of suspicious gaze and heavy distrust, looked so much younger.  “Anyway, uh, here are those pancakes. Enjoy them, man. You deserve them for all the universe you’ve helped us save.”

The yellow paladin placed the pancakes in the small compartment on the cell and pressed in the code to pass them through before turning to leave.

“Pala- ….rather, Hunk?”

He turned back to see the Galra prince, standing alone in his cell, something approaching a soft expression on his face as he held a plate of pancakes in his hands.

“Thank you.”


End file.
